Birthday Blues
by Hitora Gin
Summary: *one-shot* It's Sakuragi's birthday and it's also April Fools! Sakuragi would do anything to get out of it but he can't. The tribulations of the poor redhead.


**Birthday Blues**   
  
**Disclaimer:** Sakuragi Hanamichi and all the other characters of Slam Dunk belong to Inoue Takehiko and its rightful companies. All rights reserved.   
  
**Author's note:** This is a special fanfiction made just for Sakuragi Hanamichi on his birthday, April 1st! XD *sings* Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Hap… *notices the stares* Erm. Anyways, I'm not sure whether the new school year has started on April 1st, but I do know that in Japan, the new school year begins in April and that's during spring. If there are any mistakes, *bows* I'm sorry.   
  
The soft rays of the sun were quietly sneaking their way into a much cluttered bedroom through a crack between its blindingly bright orange drapes. Inside, a loud snoring could be heard and it even overpowered the weak cries coming from the alarm clock which was trying so hard to wake its proprietor but breaking down under pressure.   
  
When the sunlight finally found its way to sleepyhead sprawled on the bed and lightly touched his eyelids, his eyes fluttered open and with a yawn, he sat up and rubbed his eyes sleepily like a little boy.   
  
"Hanamichi! Wake up or you'll be late for school!"   
"I'm up already!" Sakuragi shouted.   
  
A woman's head poked into the room. She still looked rather young and radiant although she already has a son who was already in high school.   
  
"I don't believe it. You're really up!" she said in amazement.   
"What's not to believe?" came in the reply, in a half-irritated tone.   
"That's because I usually have to come up here and drag you out of bed."   
"Stop embarrassing me!" Sakuragi muttered, turning as crimson as his somewhat spiky red hair.   
  
Sakuragi turns to the readers. "That doesn't happen. I get up by myself."   
  
"And why are you talking to yourself so early in the morning?" his mother asked, a bemused expression on her face.   
Sakuragi quickly averted his attention back to his mother. "BETSU NI!" he accidentally shouted.   
  
His mother pulled his ear and dragged him out of bed.   
  
"Really! Talking to yourself and shouting at me in the morning," she began to lecture as her son followed her down the stairs yelping in pain. "It's the first day of the school year and here you are, being idle."   
"Kaa-chan! Itai!"   
  
Upon reaching the kitchen, the sweet fragrance of a freshly baked pastry made Sakuragi freeze in his tracks, causing his mother to stop walking as well.   
  
"Shit…"   
"Now you're cussing."   
  
Sakuragi ran back up to his room and after much digging through his pile of clothes, compact discs, manga, and litter, he finally found his calendar. After flipping a couple of months forward to the month of April, he found that he crossed out the date, April 1, and next to it was a tiny scribble saying _'school starts'_, _'April Fools'_, and _'birthday'_.   
  
"NO!!!" he shouted.   
  
Sakuragi Hanamichi had obviously forgotten. The previous year, his birthday was during the weekend so none of his friends could play tricks on him as he was very cautious on that day, and he avoided everyone he knew. He never did like his birthday.   
  
Storming into the kitchen, he announced, "Kaa-chan. I'm not going to school today."   
"You are going."   
"I'm not."   
"You are. Eat your breakfast and I'm sending you to school."   
Sakuragi's eyes practically popped out of its sockets. "WHAT?!"   
  
With a frown, he looked at his breakfast. Suddenly a loud scream could be heard.   
  
His mother flashed him a mischievous grin, and kissed the top of his head. "Happy Birthday, dear!"   
  
**~*~*~*~*~*~**   
  
_'Damn. Could I be any dumber?'_ he thought as he walked alongside his mother as they headed for school, both of them huddled under an umbrella. _'Why did I tell her that I wasn't going to school?! I could have just pretended to go but go somewhere else on the way or something. GAH!! Now I have the pleasure of being escorted to school by my mother! What an embarrassment. And she even put bugs in my breakfast! Grrrr…'_   
"AND WHY THE HELL DID IT START TO RAIN AS I STEP OUT OF THE HOUSE?!" he shouted to the skies.   
  
When he realized that everyone around was staring at him, he glared at them and they immediately turned away. His mother just patted his back as he continued to mumble and occasionally, growl.   
  
"Yo! Hanamichi! Ohayou, Oba-chan!" Yohei greeted when he saw them as he turned into the same street.   
"Ohayou, Yohei-chan," Sakuragi's mother smiled. "How are you today?"   
Yohei chuckled. "Better than Hanamichi, that's for sure. It's that day, huh?"   
  
Sakuragi still glared ahead, too occupied in his thoughts to bother about his friend.   
  
"Nee, Oba-chan, I'll make sure that Hanamichi gets to school. Don't worry," Yohei told Sakuragi's mother.   
"Hm… yes, he does have his pride," she agreed. "Just make sure he doesn't get into too much trouble and that he doesn't return home too late, okay?"   
Yohei saluted her and winked. "Don't worry!"   
  
As Sakuragi's mother waved goodbye, Sakuragi turned to Yohei. "You saved my life. Bye!"   
"Oh no you don't!" Yohei said, grabbing onto his friend's arm.   
"Let go!"   
"Alright, guys! Let's do it!" Yohei called out.   
  
Immediately, Ohkusu, Noma, and Takamiya, who were hiding by the next bend, came dashing out, and they restrained Sakuragi from running.   
  
"ARGH! Traitors! You plotted against me!"   
"Maa maa. No need to get too excited, Hanamichi," Ohkusu laughed.   
"This is our present to you, Hanamichi. We're going to let you have fun!" Noma added.   
"Let me go! Let me go!" Sakuragi shouted, and struggled in vain. He was stronger that any of them, but when they worked together, especially against him, he couldn't defeat them.   
  
As they dragged Sakuragi to school, they sang, "Ore-tachi wa tensai! Ore-tachi wa tensai! We're going to let Hanamichi have fun! Hanamichi's going to fall…"   
  
And everyone they passed put their hands over their ears at the awful wailing and the horrifyingly loud screaming by the Sakuragi Gundan.   
  
**~*~*~*~*~*~**   
  
The bell had rung and class was finally about to begin. Yohei turned to face his redheaded friend.   
  
"See Hanamichi. No one but us played a trick on you. There was nothing to be afraid of…"   
  
His voice trailed when he noticed that his friend was missing.   
  
"AAHH!! Where did Hanamichi disappear to?! Oba-chan's going to kill me!!" Yohei shouted, to the shock of his classmates.   
  
**~*~*~*~*~*~**   
  
Sakuragi stuck his head out to look at the corridor and seeing that the hallway was deserted, he quickly made a mad dash to the stairs. In his mind, his only desire was to get out of school before something horrible befell him.   
Suddenly, he heard footsteps and the voices of a few adults coming from the level below his, and as their voices was amplified by the hollowness of the stairway, Sakuragi's heart began to thump wildly. He needed to run. Class had already started and he didn't want to be in bigger trouble than what he already foresaw.   
He decided to run back to where he came from but another teacher was heading his way. Having no choice, he bolted up the stairs as fast as he could and before he knew it, he found himself at the rooftop, panting heavily. Activities such as this usually do not tire him but the added stress of this day made him maddeningly tired. Luckily for Sakuragi, the rain still poured down in sheets so he could expect no visitors.   
He was about to take a breather by heading under a tiny shed-like shelter on the rooftop when he accidentally tripped over something behind the door of the rooftop; causing him to fall face-flat onto the wet, cemented, roof floor and getting himself all wet as the rain mercilessly poured itself all over him. He was about to scream a string of profanity but he managed to clamp his hand over his mouth, muffling his colorful language, in case a teacher heard. With a glare, he looked at what he tripped on and realized that it was actually a who. A very familiar, raven-haired, kitsune. The one and only; Rukawa Kaede.   
  
_'Shit! It's like he purposely did that… but it isn't an April Fools joke so… argh! Once it starts, it'd never end,'_ Sakuragi's mind warned. 'But Kaa-chan started it first.'   
  
Sakuragi, still in the rain, bent over to take a closer look at the Kitsune's face and breathed a sigh of relief to find the boy still fast asleep. Rukawa was half-hidden behind the door and the little shelter over the door managed to keep him dry and cozy.   
  
"He's still asleep?! Hmph, he did that unconsciously…" he mumbled, turning his back towards the sleepyhead and heading to that little shelter a little farther away.   
  
"What are you doing up here? Do ahou."   
  
Sakuragi stiffened as he heard the usual insult from the very familiar voice.   
"You're awake?!" Sakuragi asked. With a narrowed look, he asked, "Why aren't you in class?"   
"Do ahou, I asked you first," Rukawa replied with a sigh.   
  
Sakuragi was in no mood to argue with Rukawa today so he simply ignored him and huddled under the little shelter. Suddenly, his stomach rumbled… matching the thunder's. He forgot that in his haste, he hadn't eaten that morning. Here he was, sitting at the rooftop with his enemy, feeling cold, wet and miserable.   
The smell of bentou caught his attention and he turned to see Rukawa popping something into his mouth. This caused his stomach to rumble even louder. Sakuragi glared at Rukawa as he continued to eat, all the while, causing Sakuragi to growl. He knew that Rukawa knew that he was hungry and it was obvious that Rukawa was showing off his bentou. Or so Sakuragi thought. Suddenly, Rukawa got up and left… leaving his bentou behind, with the lid tightly shut.   
Sakuragi waited… five minutes passed. Then ten minutes. Rukawa still had not come back. With a grin, the first of the day, he practically threw himself at the lunchbox and eagerly pried the lid open. Suddenly, something jumped out at him and Sakuragi screamed, dropping the lunchbox in front of him and scuttling back a few paces. When his heartbeat slowed down, with tentative little steps, he looked at the lunchbox to see a springy snake attached to it, and surrounding it was the rest of Rukawa's packed food. In the snake's mouth was a little note which said: April Fools. Do ahou.   
And again, Sakuragi screamed. But this time, it was with hatred.   
  
**~*~*~*~*~*~**   
  
Behind the door, Rukawa's lips twitched as he quietly left the silly redhead. That was all he revealed of his feelings that hilarious moment. He was glad that no one was there.   
  
**~*~*~*~*~*~**   
  
Sakuragi scratched his head and growled as he strode out of the principal's office. He had detention for the next two weeks for making a racket during school hours and for not being in class. Just as he thought, his day was turning from bad to worse.   
Everyone he passed by moved away from him as not only did he emit such a scary aura, the growl that was at his throat grew louder and louder and it was as though he was a predator looking for his prey. All the students around him just hoped that they weren't his prey.   
  
As Sakuragi marched to his locker, he saw that Haruko was there with something in her hand and his mood lightened tremendously.   
  
_'Could Haruko-san know that it's Tensai's birthday?'_ Sakuragi thought happily. _'I know that she won't play a trick on me because she's sweet and wonderful Haruko-san!'_   
  
"Haruko-san!" Sakuragi rushed to her side, beaming.   
"Ah, Sakuragi-kun!" Haruko smiled, and Sakuragi felt his heart melt. "I was waiting for you!"   
"Sou ka?" Sakuragi grinned. "Sorry to keep you waiting."   
Haruko shook her head and smiled. "It's okay. I just wanted to give you this," she pushed a tiny cake box into his hands. "Go on and try it!"   
  
Sakuragi was a little confused but he nodded anyways, with a grateful smile. _'I knew that Haruko-san was an angel,'_ he thought, as he took out a slice of cake.   
However, when Sakuragi bit into it, he could practically feel as though his teeth were going to shatter. Pulling the cake out of his mouth, he smashed the cake in his hand and found that only its exterior was cake and cream. Wedged inside, was a rock.   
Sakuragi could feel the tears well up in his eyes as his heart repeated, _'Haruko-san betrayed me!'_ With a sob, he dropped the entire box and made a dash for the toilets.   
  
"Sakuragi-kun?" Haruko managed to utter, completely surprised.   
  
The Sakuragi Gundan came out from their hiding places, laughing their heads off.   
  
"Good work, Haruko-chan!" Takamiya congratulated her.   
"Eh?"   
"That April Fools joke!" Ohkusu interjected.   
"It was a joke? But Sakuragi-kun was really hurt!" Haruko objected. "However, I never knew someone who was this badly hurt over an April Fools joke…"   
"That's 'cause it's also his birthday, Haruko-chan," Noma filled her in.   
"Sou na!" Haruko exclaimed.   
  
Yohei ignored all the talking but looked at the direction where Sakuragi went.   
"Maybe we were too hard on him this year… after all, we used Haruko-chan…"   
  
**~*~*~*~*~*~**   
  
Sakuragi sat in one of the stalls, feeling worse than miserable. The girl of his dreams played a trick on him when he thought that she was giving him a birthday cake as a present. Maybe she didn't know that it was his birthday but she acted like she knew…   
With a frustrated sigh, he slammed his fist at the stall door and it broke from its hinges to crash onto the floor, and who else but his best friend stood before him, an astonished look on his face.   
  
"Hanamichi, I thought you'd be here," Yohei said, his voice concerned.   
"How'd you know I was here?" Sakuragi asked.   
  
With a sigh, Yohei leaned against the sinks.   
  
"You've been doing this since I knew you… since whoever who knew your birthday played a trick on you…" Yohei's voice trailed.   
"And still, you've yet to stop playing those stupid tricks when you know how much I hate them," Sakuragi muttered.   
"Come on, Hanamichi! You have to understand that we don't mean whatever we do, so don't take them to heart," he practically begged his friend.   
  
Sakuragi stood up and looked at his friend. It was the first time that Yohei really saw his face in the toilet and his face was tear-stained, and his eyes were bloodshot. Without saying a word, Sakuragi turned to leave. Even when Rukawa entered, Sakuragi didn't even bother to look and him, let alone, give an insult.   
  
"Hanamichi! We know that using Haruko-chan to play a trick on you on your birthday was too extreme! Hanamichi!" Yohei tried to apologize.   
  
Rukawa merely looked at the situation with his usual poker-faced expression, but in his mind, he said, _'His birthday? That Do ahou's birthday is today? How unfortunate.'_   
  
Outside the toilet, Ohkusu, Noma, Takamiya and Haruko were waiting for Sakuragi to emerge, and when he did, they were completely ignored by him.   
  
"Sa… Sakuragi-kun…" Haruko whispered.   
  
**~*~*~*~*~*~**   
  
Sakuragi couldn't wait to return home that day. School felt really long as many tricks were played on him by various members of the basketball team, his classmates, and even the Rukawa Shinetai. He then had to attend detention, and now, he has basketball practice.   
  
Growling, he said, "Won't this day ever end?!"   
  
Suddenly, he noticed how quiet it was and he was already at the gym. With caution, he stuck his head into the gym and deeply exhaled once noticing that it was safe. But he was puzzled at where everyone was. He then proceeded to the club room to find a notice by Ayako.   
  
_'Training is cancelled for today. Return tomorrow to welcome the first-years and also for the first training of the year. Club manager, Ayako.'_   
  
"Kuso. Do they know? Yohei-tachi…" Sakuragi said aloud.   
  
The Sakuragi Gundan, or Yohei, promised his mother that they'd bring him home… and he didn't want to face them right now, or ever again.   
Just as he expected, he saw his Gundan walking towards the club room. It was hard to miss them, especially with their loud voices and the way they carried themselves.   
  
"Hanamichi, are you in here?" Takamiya called out, entering the room, followed by the rest.   
As they looked around, Noma said, "Guess not. He's probably in the gym."   
"Let's take a look," Ohkusu suggested.   
  
Yohei just followed them.   
  
A few minutes after their departure, Sakuragi jumped down from the top of the lockers where he was lying down and hiding himself from his friends' views.   
  
"Now to get out of here," Sakuragi murmured. "To the pachinko parlor!"   
  
**~*~*~*~*~*~**   
  
"Gomen, Oba-chan. We lost Hanamichi," Yohei apologized.   
"Gomen," the rest of the Gundan chorused.   
  
All of them were at the Sakuragi residence, including the rest of the basketball team, and their former members, Akagi, Mitsui and Kogure, Haruko, Fujii and Matsui. Only Rukawa wasn't there.   
  
"Nani? Hanamichi's not showing up at his own party?" Ryota asked. "And we cancelled training at the last minute!"   
"We skipped tuition for this no-show party?" Mitsui countered.   
  
Everyone else began to talk at the same time but with an ear-splitting whistle from Sakuragi's mother, everyone grew silent.   
  
"I'm sorry that my baka of a son is causing so many problems but I thought if I invited all of his friends instead of the usual five of us," she said, motioning to the Sakuragi Gundan and herself.   
"It's okay, Sakuragi-san," Akagi said.   
"If I were Sakuragi-kun, I would have hated to have my birthday on April Fools too…" Haruko spoke up.   
"Let's look for him," Kogure suggested.   
  
Noma shook his head.   
  
"We don't know if he'd return… see, a lot of people played tricks on him today… far more than the usual. And Haruko-chan too…" he stated.   
With a surprised look, Kogure and Akagi said, "Haruko too?"   
"But I didn't know," Haruko defended herself. "Nozomi-kun told me to give it to Sakuragi-kun!"   
"But you knew that Sakuragi…" Ayako started.   
Noma immediately interrupted her before she could continue. "Exactly, but we didn't think that Hanamichi would be that hurt."   
  
Silence filled the room yet again. Then, that year's vice-captain, Yasuda, spoke up.   
  
"I'm finding Sakuragi," he said, heading for the door.   
  
All the third years followed him.   
  
"I'm going to check the pachinko parlor," Yohei announced, and left with the Gundan.   
"Haruko, you and your friends stay here. Mitsui, Kogure and I will also look," Akagi told his sister.   
  
Haruko nodded and watched from the window as her brother climbed into his car, and Kogure climbed into the passenger seat. Mitsui got onto his motorcycle and they drove off.   
  
"Ganbatte, minna-san."   
  
**~*~*~*~*~*~**   
  
"Damn that Oyaji at the pachinko parlor," Sakuragi grumbled as he walked alongside a path near a river. "Just he wait! Once I'm eighteen, and after I leave high school, Tensai will get into that pachinko parlor and win all the time so that that damn place will go bankrupt! NYAHAHA!"   
Sakuragi's mood was lightening after a few hours of not getting tricked by anyone. He then began to sing, "Ore wa… tensai… basketman!! Sae… ireba… daijoubu!!"   
  
Suddenly, the person who was walking in front of Sakuragi stopped and turned. It was quite dark but by his silhouette, Sakuragi recognized him and halted in his tracks as well.   
  
"Back to your old do ahou self?" Rukawa asked, putting the basketball he was holding under his arm.   
"Teme Rukawa!! Who's a do ahou?!"   
"You are, do ahou."   
"Teme!!!"   
  
The ringing of a cell phone interrupted their insulting, as Rukawa pulled out his cell phone from his trouser's pocket.   
  
"He's in front of me. Hn. Wakatta," Rukawa said. "No. No. Okay."   
  
Sakuragi looked perplex. The only person in front of Rukawa was himself yet why would anyone call Rukawa and ask about him?   
  
"Your mother wants you at home."   
"NANI?! Kaa-chan called you?"   
"Do ahou. That was former Captain Akagi."   
"How would Gori know if my mother wants me home?"   
"Just go home, do ahou. People are waiting for you, not just your mother," Rukawa told him.   
"No! I'll go home tomorrow! After all of this is over! They're only there to play a trick on Tensai!"   
"I didn't know that you were this stupid. Why would anyone tell you to go home so that they can play a trick on you?" Rukawa asked, his voice cold as usual.   
  
Sakuragi became silent.   
  
"Don't disappoint the people who care for you," he continued.   
  
Taking a deep breath, Sakuragi roared and ran off, shouting, "I don't need a Kitsune to tell me what to do!!"   
  
Rukawa watched as Sakuragi ran off.   
  
"Do ahou."   
  
**~*~*~*~*~*~**   
  
That night, as Sakuragi sat on his bed and stared at the new basketball poster he received for his birthday, he realized that if he had not heed Rukawa's advice, he'd have regretted it dearly. For once, this was the best birthday that he could remember and everyone that he cared for were there to celebrate it with him.   
Sakuragi would have liked for Rukawa to come, only this once. After all, Rukawa did help him. That he would admit.   
  
**#Sakuragi's flashback#**   
  
I burst through the door but just as I expected, my home was quiet, and empty. Just like it had always been. Suddenly, I heard the clattering of dishes in the kitchen and with slow, cautious steps, which I can't help but do throughout the entire day, I peeked into the kitchen.   
There, sitting around the round table covered with a red checkered tablecloth were my mother, Haruko-san and her two friends.   
  
"Haruko-chan, it's okay," Kaa-chan comforted Haruko-san, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Once Hanamichi knows that you didn't know that Taka-chan put you up to it and you didn't know at all, I'm sure he wouldn't mind."   
  
_'Haruko-san didn't know?'_   
  
"Demo… Sakuragi-kun was really hurt," Haruko muttered sadly.   
"Haruko, don't worry. I'm sure Sakuragi-kun will forgive you," Fujii encouraged her.   
Matsui nodded in reply. "He is simple-minded after all."   
"I just hope Onii-chan and the rest find him," Haruko said worriedly. "It's almost eleven already."   
  
_'Gori and the rest are looking for me?'_   
  
My hand accidentally swept Kaa-chan's precious vase that I made for her during fourth grade to the floor and it shattered into many tiny pieces. Shocked at the sudden crash and at my slipup, I got on my knees and picked up pieces of the pottery, trying hard to put the puzzle together. My hands became warm and sticky but I didn't really bother. All I thought of was Kaa-chan's precious vase. I didn't even notice that the four from the kitchen were in the living room, hovering over me.   
  
"Hanamichi."   
  
I looked up to see Kaa-chan's worried expression.   
  
"Kaa-chan… your vase… You should be angry, not worried. I'll get you another one."   
  
With that, I received a stinging slap across my cheek. I heard a few gasps but more importantly, I heard what my mother had to say.   
  
"Baka! Where were you? I was so worried! All your friends were!" Kaa-chan began to shout at me. "And look at your bloody hands. Why should I worry about the vase when I have you to worry about?"   
"Suman," I managed to say. "I knew that I made you and the rest worry. I'm sorry."   
  
Suddenly, everyone who went out to look for me streamed into the living room, their expressions a mix of relief, exhaustion, mild anger and gladness.   
  
**#end of flashback#**   
  
"And Gori gave me that punch on my head too," Sakuragi grumbled, rubbing the top of his head.   
  
He walked to the window and opened it, inhaling the fresh and cool night air. Maybe having his birthday on April Fools wasn't so bad after all. Not many people have it, and it was pretty special. And besides, he did get to know who his real friends were.   
  
"Oi, Do ahou!"   
  
Sakuragi looked to see Rukawa standing outside his house gate. Rukawa then threw the basketball that Sakuragi saw him holding that evening near the river straight at him.   
  
"What are you trying to do?! Oi!" Sakuragi shouted, grabbing the ball just in time.   
  
By then, Rukawa had already left. Grumbling at the Kitsune's craziness, Sakuragi flicked on the light in his room and looked at the basketball. It was a NIKE one. Turning it in his hands, Sakuragi saw a clear but small writing just below the NIKE motto: Just Do It. It said _'Do Ahou'_.   
  
Turning to the window, Sakuragi shouted into the night. "I'll do it Rukawa! I'll surely beat you with this basketball! Just you wait and see!"   
  
**//~Owari~//**   
  
**Author's note:** I would like to thank AC and Nagi-san for urging me and supporting me to finish this fic in time ^^ It took a lot of effort to finish this as I thought that it was pure crap somewhere in the middle ^^6 Hehe. I initially wanted to make this a humorous fic but I prefer a display of various emotions. Er, why was Rukawa the one to help Sakuragi out? First of all, I like Rukawa. He's one of the hottest anime characters ever. Secondly, I always thought that if Haruko was not around, they'd be really good friends ^^ Yes, yes, I dream a lot. To the reader, if you enjoyed this fic, thank goodness! XD You don't know how happy I am! If you think this sucks, well, tough ^^6 Lastly, Happy Birthday Hana-chan!! XD *huggles* 


End file.
